Clive Barker is re-united with Pinhead in the new comic HELLRAISER

It has been almost 25 (long) years since Clive Barker has been involved in the world of Hellraiser.  Though there has been numerous sequels and spin-offs (almost all un-watchable), none have yet to match the perverse power of Barker’s original story The Hellbound Heart and the subsequent first film Hellraiser.  Needless to say, this week is a big one for fans of the reclusive writer as he marks his return to the world of pleasure and pain with a brand new comic series. Clive Barker’s Hellraiser #1 hits comic book shelves today!

Written by Clive Barker and Christopher Monfette with art by Leonardo Manco, Boom! Studios’ first issue of Hellraiser hits stores with a bang.  Being released with three different collectible covers, the first issue promises to include everything fans of the series will recognize: Cenobites, skinless bodies, and the puzzle box.  Leonardo Manco has a gritty art style that looks to be a great fit for the new series. 

I have high hopes for the series, as I am a huge fan of Barker’s films (Nightbreed, Hellraiser) and his written work (The Books of Blood).  Based on early reviews of the first issue, expectations from horror fans and comic fan alike have been met.  Check back later this week for my review of issue #1.  Oh . . . and Mr. Barker … welcome home.  I have missed your pain.

Official synopsis:

One of the greatest horror franchises of all time returns, now under the control of its original creator! Clive Barker has touched HELLRAISER only twice: once to write THE HELLBOUND HEART, and once more to write and direct the original HELLRAISER film. Now witness Barker’s long-awaited return to tell a new chapter in the series’ official continuity—a trajectory that will forever change the Cenobites… and Pinhead! So prepare your soul for an epic journey into horror from one of the medium’s greatest voices, and starring one of the medium’s greatest characters, in an unforgettable new chapter of HELLRAISER.